


Room With A View

by noelleleithe



Category: As the World Turns
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-02
Updated: 2012-01-02
Packaged: 2017-10-28 17:24:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/310267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noelleleithe/pseuds/noelleleithe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Luckily for him, Luke Grimaldi never had trouble finding exactly what he wanted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Room With A View

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2011 Nuke Bigbang on LiveJournal. Moey's awesome artwork is [HERE](http://frances-veritas.livejournal.com/407385.html). Thanks to Dani Escapes for beta. :)

~~~~  
Prologue  
~~~~

Luke shed his coat, suit jacket, and shoes almost before he got all the way inside his apartment, dropping the clothes on the end of his sofa and the shoes on the floor. The rest of his clothes followed quickly, piling up into a haphazard mess. The maid would take care of them tomorrow. He had other things on his mind.

He peeled his watch off and dropped it onto the table next to the door where his keys already sat before heading down the hallway, naked. He ran a hand through his hair, knocking it free from the too-staid-for-his-taste professional style his day job demanded, as he crossed into the bathroom. He reached in to turn the shower on, the multiple jets shooting out hot and steamy water, just like he liked it.

He showered quickly, not willing to linger tonight. His cock pulsed in his hand, but he wanted more. Wanted a tight piece of ass to lose himself in.

Luckily for him, Luke Grimaldi never had trouble finding exactly what he wanted.

Showered, hair toweled dry and tousled just so, he walked across the bedroom naked, ignoring the view of Central Park through the wide, uncovered window along one wall, and stopped just inside his closet. He turned his back on the line of high-end business suits and facing the casual side of the space instead. His tightest low-rise jeans and favorite black t-shirt hung at the ready, and he made a mental note to tip the housekeeper a little extra for that.

He dressed quickly, adjusting his cock carefully to show off the assets to best advantage. Commando was the only way to go on these nights. No need for an extra layer to have to peel away before getting down to business.

Sliding his feet into black suede loafers, Luke walked back into the living room and retrieved his wallet and cell phone from the inside pockets of his discarded suit jacket. Pulling his ID, a credit card, and a few bills from the wallet, he put it down next to his keys and reached into the drawer of the small table, extracting a slimmer billfold and slipping the few items inside. He checked to be sure a condom and tube of lube were inside before sliding the new wallet and his phone into his pockets. Grabbing his keys and coat, he headed for the door.

Fifteen minutes later, he walked through the entrance of Inferno, flashing his ID at the bouncer, who waved him in. This wasn't his favorite club, but it was one of several he frequented most often. Not too often, though. He needed to change things up enough that word wouldn't get back to his father what he did on his infrequent nights out. Damian Grimaldi might be many things, but tolerant wasn't high on the list. He had no idea his scion was gay, and Luke planned to keep it that way.

Music pulsed in Luke's chest as he checked his coat and made his way to the bar. He signaled the bartender, who recognized him from previous encounters—including a couple with no bar between them—and had a whiskey sour in front of him in minutes. As usual, Luke tipped him well. He'd learned a lot of things in the few years he'd been working at Grimaldi Shipping, and one of the most important lessons had been that a little extra cash went a long way, in many different situations.

Turning to face the dance floor, Luke leaned back against the bar and scoped out the selection. Some familiar faces caught his eye, and he filed those away as possibilities. Unlike some men in his position, he had no qualms about fucking a guy more than once if he liked it the first time. It wasn't just about the novelty or the number. A fuck was a fuck, and he made sure his partners knew that, whether he'd fucked them before or not.

Movement to his left drew his attention, and he saw a tall, dark-haired man leaning across the bar a few feet away. As he watched, the man shot the bartender a smile, showing sharp canines and making the corners of his eyes crinkle. He said something to the bartender, who nodded and laughed, reaching for a glass and mixing up another whiskey sour.

Luke raised an eyebrow. He didn't tend to need lines to get someone's attention, but he'd certainly take the opportunity when they arose.

Turning back to the bar and taking a couple of steps down, he stopped next to the other man and waited for him to look over. When he did, one eyebrow raised, Luke met him with the same expression.

"Cheers," he said, holding up his glass so the man could see he had the same drink. The man's glass landed on the bar in front of him, and he turned back to pay quickly before picking up the glass and lifting it to meet Luke's.

"Cheers," he said. They drank, holding each other's gazes over the rims of their glasses as they swallowed. The man lowered his glass first, setting it down on the bar half-empty and leaning both forearms on the flat surface. "So, do we need to dance first?"

Luke lifted an eyebrow again as he put down his own glass. "I've never been one to waste time on formalities."

The other man smiled at that. "To the point. I like that," he said. "Do I at least get a name?"

"Mandatory," Luke replied immediately. "First names and condoms. Everything else is negotiable." He held out a hand. "Luke."

The man took his hand to shake. "Noah," he said. He jerked his head to the side. "Out back work for you?"

"That's what it's there for." Luke released Noah's hand and walked past him, headed straight for the nondescript door in the middle of the club's back wall. He didn't look back to see if Noah followed him. Luke knew he'd be there.

Inside, the back room was dim, with indirect lighting and walls painted dark. Luke had a favorite corner he used whenever possible, with a column that helped give a little privacy. Exhibitionism wasn't a huge part of it for him, and he was glad to see his spot was open. The room was pretty empty overall, but it was early yet. After midnight, it'd be wall to wall skin and cocks.

Luke reached the corner and turned around to find Noah practically on top of him. Without preamble, Noah wrapped a hand around the back of Luke's neck and pulled in him to a deep, dirty kiss. Luke never really cared that much about kissing one way or another. He didn't forbid it, like some guys did with tricks, but he rarely initiated it either. But fuck, did Noah ever know how to kiss. His tongue worked Luke's like a pro, his lips were just firm enough, and he already had a hand under the hem of Luke's t-shirt, rubbing the skin just below his navel.

Luke let Noah take control for a few minutes, enjoying the kissing and the teasing of Noah's fingers on his happy trail. But soon he'd had enough, and he pulled out of the kiss and grabbed Noah's arms, turning him roughly to face the wall, pressing his body against Noah's back.

"You wanna get fucked, Noah?" he growled against Noah's ear, and the noise Noah let out might as well have been an hour of nonstop begging.

Luke had Noah's jeans open and pushed down in seconds, and he was happy to find that Noah's philosophy on underwear was the same as his. He pulled back long enough to dig out his condom and lube, and when he looked back at Noah, he had braced himself on both forearms against the wall, his pale, muscular ass perfectly exposed for Luke. And Luke's eyes widened when he saw the black circle covering Noah's hole.

"Fuck." Luke shoved his pants down to his knees and stepped forward, grabbing Noah's hip with one hand and letting his hard cock ride up against Noah's lower back. "You want it bad, don't you, Noah? Came in all prepped with a plug up your ass. You know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna fuck you into next week, and when I'm done, I'm putting that plug back in. And you're gonna go home like that and feel like my cock's still in there."

Noah groaned and writhed under Luke. "Jesus fuck, get on with it," he hissed. "Been dying for it since I got here."

Luke leaned back just far enough to unroll the condom over his dick and add a liberal layer of lube, even though he doubted he'd need that much. He reached for the plug in Noah's ass and twisted it back and forth, each movement making Noah shudder violently.

He thought about waiting until Noah really was begging for it, but he couldn't hold off that long. He eased the plug out, letting it drop into the crotch of Noah's jeans so it wouldn't fall onto the floor, and took himself in hand, pressing into Noah's ass, still wide open from the plug. He started out slowly, knowing his thick shaft and wide head were too much for some men to take easily, but Noah whined and pushed back against him, and Luke took the hint, plunging in all the way.

He barely paused at the deepest point, going right into the fast, hard fuck he knew they both wanted. Noah gasped and cursed, and Luke wrapped both hands around Noah's hips, thrusting in deep, letting everything go. Noah shifted his arms lower, and on the next thrust he let out a keening sound that let Luke know they'd found the perfect angle. He adjusted enough to try to hit that same spot, pounding against Noah's prostate, mind falling into the state of bliss fucking always brought.

He never knew how long his fucks lasted. It never mattered to him. If he got off, it was enough. He always made sure his partner got his, too. He was a lot of things, but inconsiderate wasn't among them.

He'd just gotten to the point when he thought about giving Noah a reach-around when Noah's spine stiffened and he groaned loudly. His body jerked, and his ass clamped down around Luke, bringing his thrusts to an abrupt halt.

Luke hadn't actually seen many guys come without something on their cocks, but Noah did. He groaned again, and while Luke couldn't see it, he knew Noah was painting the wall in front of him with come. He relaxed just enough for Luke to start moving again, and he pounded Noah's ass even harder, driving toward his own climax.

He felt his balls drawing up and thrust in once, twice, and on the third thrust, he felt Noah's body clamp around him again, hard. The sensation surprised him so much that he came immediately, emptying into the condom deep inside Noah's ass. The low groan he let out ripped at his throat, and he dug his fingers into Noah's hips, keeping that tight heat around him just as long as he could.

Jesus, was the first thought that entered his mind once he could think again. He'd had plenty of hot fucks in his life, but this guy had to be in the top three. Luke tightened his fingers on the firm ass under his hands, and Noah moaned, loudly enough to make Luke's spent cock twitch.

Giving his head a shake, Luke stepped back and pulled out, wrapping up the condom and throwing it toward the can in the corner. He never missed, a rarity considering the number of used Trojans from others that had fallen short. He started to reach for his pants, but paused when the gleam of the black plug he'd pulled out of Noah jogged his memory, and he bent to retrieve it from its resting place.

Noah had started to turn, so Luke stopped him with a hand on his hip and leaned forward, bringing their skin back into contact. "I told you," he growled out, lining up the plug against Noah's stretched hole. "You're wearing this home."

He shoved the plastic in hard, and Noah gasped and panted, shivering. Luke gave a feral grin as he stepped back, reaching to straighten his pants. He tucked himself back in and zipped up, watching from the corner of his eye as Noah took a few deep, steadying breaths before he levered himself away from the wall and did the same. Luke didn't usually pay any attention to his fucks once they'd both gotten off, but he couldn't tear his attention from that hot body, even as Noah covered it up.

Luke was surprised when Noah's fingers wrapped around his wrist, pulling his hand out to lie flat. Something scratched on his palm, and Noah shot him a quick smirk as he let go.

"In case you decide you'd like another round," he said, before turning and disappearing among the grunting, fucking bodies. Luke looked down and saw numbers on his hand. A phone number.

He rolled his eyes. "You gotta be kidding me," he muttered, heading back toward the bar and, after just a moment's hesitation to survey the crowd, the front door. He pretended not to notice that he skipped his usual cleanup trip to the restroom before retrieving his coat and heading home.

~~~~  
Part 1  
~~~~

Luke Grimaldi commanded attention wherever he went, but all he cared about Monday morning was the Starbucks on the corner next to his building. He had an assistant at work who brought him coffee, but he enjoyed the five-block walk from his apartment building on Park down to the office on Fifth, and he liked having his first cup along the way. A smiling young barista started his preferred drink as soon as he pulled open the door, and he smiled back and left her a tip even more generous than the usual.

He sipped his latte, one hand dug into the pocket of his long wool coat, fingers chilled despite his insulated leather gloves. A late cold snap had cut through what had seemed to be an early spring, and Luke's breath steamed white in the air as he walked. More than once, he saw appreciative eyes watching him, some even from men he might have approached in a bar. He ignored them all, as usual. He'd been asked if he was a model or an actor more times than he could count. It had long ago lost any shine.

He smiled at the doorman who nodded as Luke stepped into the revolving door of the office. Grimaldi Shipping occupied a narrow but tall building a few blocks down from Central Park, tucked between a high-end designer clothing store and a boutique hotel. Luke smiled at various nameless employees and greeted a few he recognized as he made his way to the elevators. He rode up alone, which was unusual but not unheard of, pulling off his gloves and scarf and unbuttoning his coat as he went.

 

The phone on the desk outside his office starting ringing as he approached, and he smiled at Bethany as she answered it. She lifted a hand in greeting, and Luke walked on into his office, set his coffee on the corner of his desk, and stripped off his coat, stepping over to hang it on the hook near the door.

He'd just gotten settled into his seat and was bringing up his computer, which Bethany booted up each morning so it would be through the security steps by the time he arrived, when his phone rang. He glanced at it to see it was on the direct outside line only a handful of people knew, and answered accordingly.

"Grimaldi Shipping, this is Luke."

"Good morning, son." Damian's cultured, lightly accented voice filled his ear. "I would like you to meet me for lunch today. We have some business to discuss, away from the office."

Luke frowned, swallowing his sip of coffee and watching his email load. "Sure," he replied. "Any place in mind?" He had a feeling he knew, but he always asked anyway.

"The St. Martin. Twelve-thirty, and don't be late, Luciano."

Damian hung up before Luke could point out that he hadn't been late for any business meeting in well over a year, and that because of a broken elevator. Luke set a reminder on his phone, which even he would admit was the main reason for his newly discovered punctuality. "The wonders of modern technology," he murmured as he started working his way through his email.

~~~~

Luke walked into the hotel's bistro at 12:27 by his phone and greeted the maitre d with a nod. The man straightened immediately. "Mr. Grimaldi, very pleased to have you join us today. Please, follow me."

Luke did, finding Damian ensconced at his favorite table, next to the window overlooking Fifth Avenue. The boutique hotel had been Damian's New York base for years, and Luke had given up wondering why he never simply bought an apartment. He suspected Damian had connections to the ownership that yielded him his posh suite— with full maid and concierge services—more cheaply than he could have bought or rented a comparable apartment.

Luke gave the maitre d a smile as he took his seat across from Damian, whose critical gaze ran over Luke, taking in his appearance, as usual. Luke sat calmly, and Damian soon gave an almost imperceptible nod before reaching for his napkin and laying in his lap.

"You're on time, Luciano," Damian said, a note somewhere between joking and mocking in his voice. "I believe that may be three lunches in a row."

Luke shrugged, picking up the single menu and glancing down the list of items even though all were quite familiar to him. "Five, actually," he said in a bland tone. "But who's counting?"

Damian was silent for a long moment before reaching for his water glass, taking a sip and lowering it back to the table. He straightened slightly, as if shaking off their exchange. "I must talk to you about Grimaldi Shipping, Luciano. As I told you some months ago, I will be taking an extended trip to Malta, and as it happens, I will need to leave sooner than expected. You and I must spend the remainder of the week preparing you to take over for me while I am away."

Luke blinked in surprise. "You're leaving that soon?"

Damian almost smiled, but his eyes were hard. "Yes, it seems matters in Malta cannot be left to go any longer. I had hoped to have more time with you before putting this weight on your shoulders, but I must."

A server approached then, and Damian paused long enough for them to place their orders, Damian having not needed the menu for quite some time unless new items were added. The chefs were always happy to accommodate any of his special requirements, of which there often were many, which was part of the reason Luke kept his orders as simple and straightforward as possible.

The server having left with their orders and Luke's menu, Luke leaned back in his seat, the tips of his first two fingers and his thumb resting on the stem of his water glass. "I don't think there'll be that much involved," he said, holding Damian's gaze. "I've spent the past two years learning the business from the inside out. I've been in on dozens of client and board meetings, and everyone in the company knows that you've been preparing me to take the reins. Other than making sure I'm up to date on everything that's current, what's left to learn?"

Damian laughed then, the sound condescending, and shook his head. "You have very much left to learn, son," he said. "What I can teach you in the next week should be enough for you to keep everything running on an even keel until my return. But do not expect it to be easy, even then. You are bright and well-educated, but I believe you will agree that you do not have the same level of interest or aptitude as I."

On that, Luke couldn't argue. He could understand and run a business, even one as complex as Grimaldi Shipping, but he wasn't a prodigy of any kind, and he didn't love the work. It was fun, sometimes rewarding, and often interesting, but it just hadn't captured his attention.

Luke sighed and leaned forward, resting his arms on the edge of the table. "So what's on the agenda?"

Damian gave the nearest to a genuine smile that he ever offered. "Paperwork, I'm afraid," he said. "We must prepare documentation allowing you to operate as my proxy on any matters that may arise, in the event that I am unreachable, which will be likely from time to time. Most day to day operations will not be a concern, but we must prepare for as many eventualities as possible. And there exists a possibility that some personal business may need attending to as well. My assistant will handle most things, but some may require written approval. I have already set Carol to work gathering the necessary materials for us."

Luke still didn't see a problem. He'd done all of those things from time to time, albeit with Damian on hand in case anything went wrong. Nothing ever had. He guessed there'd be some kind of power of attorney paperwork to sign, but that should be it, right?

Their food arrived before he could ask more questions, and Damian switched to his version of small talk, which from the day Luke had started work at Grimaldi Shipping had consisted of quizzing Luke on various aspects of the business. Luke answered by rote between bites of shrimp pasta, filling in names and numbers easily memorized and just as easily forgotten when no longer relevant.

Near the end of their lunch, Luke saw a server approaching, carrying a pitcher of water to refill their glasses. Luke glanced at him, then found himself doing a classic double-take and staring at the man. Tall, fair, dark-haired, with crystal blue eyes. He didn't look at Luke or Damian, lifting the pitcher to refill Damian's glass, and before he could stop himself, Luke blurted out, "Noah?"

Noah jumped, Luke jerked in reaction, and what happened next seemed to be in slow motion. Luke's knee hit the underside of the table, the sharp pain nearly unnoticed as he watched the goblets on the surface sway. Water splashed from the pitcher onto the table as Noah pulled it back, reaching for Damian's glass with his free hand. He didn't quite make it. The goblet toppled onto its side, water and ice sluicing out across the few remaining inches of table and over the edge, right into Damian's lap.

The word that left Damian's mouth was one Luke didn't recognize, despite his years of study of both Italian and Maltese, but its meaning was clear. Damian leapt to his feet, shaking his trousers to knock off the ice and some of the water, but he was still soaked from his waist halfway down to his knees.

In the time it had taken Damian to move, Noah had set the water pitcher down on the next table and pulled out the towel he had tucked into the waistband of his black apron. "I am so, so sorry, sir," he said, stepping forward with the towel held out in one hand. "Please let me—"

"Silenzju!" Luke cringed at both the tone of voice and the language. Damian only slipped into his native tongue when he was particularly emotional, which usually meant furious. Noah flinched back and shut up. Luke stood up and was about to intervene when the maitre' d came scurrying up.

"Mr. Grimaldi! I am so very sorry about this. We will of course pay for your dry cleaning bill and any permanent damage that results." He turned a glare onto Noah. "Mr. Mayer, your services will no longer be required. Please collect your things and leave the premises immediately. Your final paycheck will be mailed to you."

Luke's mouth dropped open in shock. "Sir, that really isn't necessary. It was my fault as much as it was—"

"Thank you, James," Damian cut him off. "I will return to my suite to change and send my suit down with the valet." He shot Luke a dark look. "Luciano, I have matters to tend to this afternoon. I will see you at the office in the morning, bright and early."

With one final curt nod to James, Damian turned and stalked out of the restaurant toward the private elevators at the rear of the lobby.

Luke turned back to James to protest again, but the man had already beckoned over another server to clean up the table, and Noah was nowhere in sight. Luke looked around and caught a glimpse of his dark hair at the edge of the kitchen, where it looked like he was putting something on a shelf.

Luke strode in his direction, stopping just outside the entrance to the kitchen. "Noah, I—"

Noah didn't stop moving. He tossed his apron onto the counter and yanked at his tie. "I'm fine," he ground out. "I have two more jobs, they'll keep me going until I can replace this one." He did look at Luke then, eyes hard. "It would help not to have a bad reference from this one."

It was all Luke could do not to reach out and touch Noah wherever he could. "Noah, this is all my fault," he said. "Let me make it up to you. I—" Inspiration struck. "I was just thinking that what I really need is a personal assistant, someone to take care of the things that I don't have time for, or to be honest, that I'm just bad at. I could hire you. It wouldn't be full-time, I don't have that much stuff, but it would pay better than this, I'm sure, and…."

He trailed off at the hard look in Noah's eyes, then flinched as Noah took a step toward him, fists clenching at his sides. "I don't take charity," Noah ground out. "And I'm not a whore."

"It's not…. No!" Luke almost shouted the last word. "I swear, Noah, it would be a legitimate job. Nothing questionable, totally aboveboard. I don't…. I'm not…." He sighed, all the fight going out of him, his gaze dropping to the floor. "I'm not out at work," he murmured. "No one knows, especially not Damian… my father." He lifted his eyes to find Noah looking at him like a puzzle he couldn't quite figure out. "And I really do need the help. Picking up dry cleaning, making sure the housekeeper gets paid, getting things fixed around the apartment. Maybe buying groceries so I have something other than coffee and cheese."

He attempted a smile, and gradually, a small one appeared on Noah's face.

"So," Luke said, standing up straighter. "I guess you're free this afternoon now, so why don't you come for an interview? Like I said, totally legit. I'll even check your references… although maybe not from here." Noah's smile grew a bit. "Can you come over at three?"

Noah checked his watch in a manner that made Luke think he'd done it out of habit more than intent. Noah's eyes lifted back to meet his, brow furrowed over those brilliant blue eyes, and he bit his bottom lip. Luke had to fight once again not to reach out, pull it free, run his thumb across it.

"You don't need to decide about the job right now," Luke said, keeping his voice low and soft. "Just come for the interview, and we'll take it from there. Okay?"

Slowly, Noah nodded, but before he could say anything, the manager stepped out of his office.

"Mayer," he said, his voice less strident than it had been a few minutes earlier. "Can I speak with you a moment?"

Luke reached into his jacket, pulling out his wallet and digging into it for a business card. "Here," he said, handing it over to Noah, who took it automatically. "Just say you have an appointment with me."

He gave one more small smile before turning and walking back through the dining room. The maitre' d tried to intercept him, but he ignored the man and didn't look back. He'd never much cared for the food there anyway.

~~~~

It took a little insistence—and a ten percent increase on Luke's first salary offer—but one week later, Luke had a new personal assistant in the person of one Noah Mayer, film student and part-time barista. For a guaranteed maximum of twenty-five hours a week "and I'm not washing your underwear" (amused, Luke pointed out that he already had a laundry service for that), Noah would run errands, keep track of household bills, handle any maintenance or repair issues that might arise with Luke's apartment or seldom-used car, and generally do whatever else needed doing that they agreed on.

Noah had dressed the part for the interview, in a pristine black suit, light green dress shirt, and green-and-black striped tie, and Luke had to use a pretty hefty portion of self control to do no more than shake his hand. Noah looked like a classic movie star, and Luke definitely appreciated it, even though he truly preferred him in the jeans and snug t-shirt look he'd first seen in the club where they'd met. Not that Luke said anything of the kind to Noah. He'd promised Noah a legitimate job, and making any kind of move on him would flush that right down the toilet.

And thing was, he liked Noah. He seemed to be genuine, down-to-earth and hardworking, reminding Luke of his mother's family, which he visited back in Oakdale now and then. His grandmother and step-grandmother, Lucinda and Emma, were different as night and day but always made him feel welcome, like he belonged there. His half-siblings seemed to worship the ground he walked on, which he didn't think he'd ever get tired of. His mother's second husband, Holden, was harder. He had a straightforward way of talking, and looking at you, that always made Luke uncomfortable, but at the same time, it made him want to tell all his secrets. Like his biggest one, the one Damian could never know, unless Luke wanted to lose everything.

Not many people knew Luke's secret. In a city of eight million people, the odds that any random fuck in a back room would cross paths with his father was miniscule, and even then they'd probably be more likely to blackmail Luke with the information than out him. That had almost happened once, but Luke had calmly pointed out that the son of a Republican member of the state assembly probably had just as much to lose as Luke did.

Noah was the first guy in years who'd turned his head for more than a quick fuck. Luke had no problem taking repeat business from like-minded men, but it never went beyond the bedroom, and he told himself he liked it that way.

Noah was different. Yeah, Luke still wanted him. Who wouldn't? He was gorgeous, all long limbs and broad shoulders and blue, blue eyes, and he'd been a fantastic fuck, responsive and pliant, making some of the sexiest sounds Luke had ever heard. Luke didn't quite understand what drew him in for more, when he'd already gotten so much. He wanted to fuck Noah again, sure, but for once, he actually wanted to spend time with him, too.

That didn't happen for the first few weeks. It took a lot of coordination and planning to set things up so Damian could oversee matters long-distance and Luke could handle the day-to-day operations. By the time Damian left, ten days after their ill-fated lunch, Luke had spent well upwards of a hundred hours in the office. Things calmed down a little after that, without Damian's overbearing manner, which, Luke admitted silently, was exacerbated by Luke's automatic heels-digging-in reaction to being ordered around.

By the time Luke could cut back to something approaching normal business hours—less than ten hours a day, at least, and weekends generally off—he'd almost forgotten what life had been like before. He hadn't been to a club in nearly a month, had barely been home except to sleep, and he'd barely glanced at the lists Noah left for him each day, noting what he'd taken care of and what he planned to do the next day. He saw Noah a few times a week, always at the office, where he'd bring Luke paperwork or checks to sign, usually dropping off something for him to eat at the same time. Considering Luke was spending most of his time living off coffee and the pastries that always seemed to find their way into any office, the occasional sandwich and piece of fruit was certainly welcome.

Luke had no idea how many hours Noah had been working, since he hadn't had time to even attempt to keep track. But when he dragged his tail feathers home on Friday, the end of the fourth week since he'd met Noah and three weeks since he'd started work, he stopped and looked around.

His apartment stayed clean, thanks to his housekeeper, and most of his regular bills were set up on automatic payments so he didn't have to worry about the power getting cut off or anything stupid like that. But something looked different. He stepped further into the living room, but it still took him a few minutes to realize that his furniture had been moved. Not that it bothered him, particularly, but his sofa had been turned at an angle, and the overstuffed chair and ottoman set moved similarly, so that all the seats pointed more directly at the television. The media components seemed to have been rearranged, too, much more neatly than the haphazard setup he'd had before, where as long as everything was plugged in and working, he was happy. The random pile of remote controls was gone, and in its place was a single gadget, about the size of a small tablet computer, with a slip of paper underneath it. He pulled it out.

Luke—

Hope you don't mind that I took the liberty, especially considering I did it with your money. The new remote should work on all the equipment, so you don't have to dig around looking for the right one all the time. The old remotes are in a box in the top of the coat closet, in case you want them back. But give this a shot. I think you'll get used to it pretty quickly. If you do, there are add-ons that let you control things like the lights, too!

Noah

Luke blinked, lifted his head to look at the TV, and blinked again before looking back down at the contraption in his hand. A button at the top left said "watch TV," so Luke tapped it, and a second later, the television came on.

Luke grinned and tapped the screen again, watching the TV shut itself off. Shaking his head, he set the remote down and headed toward his bedroom, shedding his clothes and dropping them into the laundry hamper. Boxer-clad, he padded over to the kitchen and stopped again. The counters were clear, except for the coffee machine and a neat stack of mail sitting on the edge of the island. He'd authorized Noah to open anything that looked like a bill or payment and handle those, and to pass along those that appeared time-sensitive, like invitations he'd received over the previous few weeks. Those came pretty regularly, mostly things like gallery openings that were less social events than thinly disguised networking.

What remained were a handful of personal letters and cards, which were always few and far between, most of his friends preferring electronic means of communication. He'd gotten two postcards from friends off vacationing in warmer locales, a brief note from his mother, and an envelope addressed with the cramped, messy writing he knew was Ethan's. He smiled at the note inside, written with a 9-year-old's enthusiasm and his spelling skills, but as he got to last line, his smile slipped away.

"Mama said it's your birthday soon," Ethan wrote. "Can you come home then? We could go horseback riding and swim in the pond."

Luke bit his lip as he set the note back on the island with the other letters. Even if he could get away, which was impossible with Damian in Malta, what good would it do anyone? He'd spend a few days with people he barely knew despite their relationships, and he'd come right back here, back to his life.

He looked around the kitchen, sleek and shining, devoid of warmth and personality.

Some life, he thought.

~~~~

Saturday morning, for the first time in weeks, Luke slept in. He woke only long enough to stretch and roll over, curling more comfortably into his Egyptian cotton sheets, smooth and cool against his bare skin. His dreams were aimless, unremarkable and pleasant enough, and when he finally dragged himself into consciousness, he felt more rested and relaxed than he could remember, even before Damian announced he was leaving.

He stretched again, slowly, luxuriously, and settled against his pillows, blinking at the ceiling. Light filtered in from the window along the wall opposite the bed, which was covered now by the series of sliding fabric panels some designer had insisted were all the rage two years earlier, when he'd moved in. Luke didn't much care. He liked that they blocked the light enough that, on the rare occasions he slept in, he wasn't awakened by the morning sun streaming in.

He turned his head to check the time, but just as the 9:47 registered, he realized he smelled something burning. No, not burning; brewing. Coffee.

Who the hell…? As quickly as the thought formed, he answered it himself. It had to be Noah. He had no way to know Luke was home; he'd been up and gone no later than eight every morning for weeks, earlier on weekdays. And Luke had told him to help himself to whatever food or drinks he wanted, although Luke would almost bet that Noah had rarely gone any farther than a cup of coffee in the mornings.

Rolling up to sit on the side of the mattress, Luke ran a hand down his face, then scrubbed it through his hair. He needed a long, hot shower and a cup of coffee big enough to drown in. Some food wouldn't hurt, either. Maybe he and Noah could go grab some breakfast? They'd barely had a chance to talk since Noah's first couple of days on the job.

Pushing to his feet, Luke grabbed his robe from the back of his closet door and pulled it on, tying the sash before stepping out of the bedroom and heading down the hall toward the kitchen. He stepped around the corner and stopped, staring.

Noah stood with his back to Luke, stretching up to snag a coffee mug from a high shelf, the move pulling the sweater he wore far enough up to expose a couple of inches of smooth, pale skin above the waistband of his jeans. The jeans fitted him perfectly, hugging his ass and thighs, folding down at the hems over the tops of his sneakers, the denim there worn thin enough that a few spots had started to fray.

Luke swallowed to try to moisten his suddenly dry mouth. "Hey."

Noah jumped and half turned, the mug he'd had half a grip on spinning out of the cabinet and just missing Noah's shoulder on its way to the floor. Luke winced as the ceramic crashed into the tile, sending pieces flying out in all directions. Noah recoiled from the impact so close to his feet, and considering the way Luke's heart was racing, he could just imagine the suprise Noah must be feeling like right then.

"Shit." Noah spat out the word and dropped into a crouch, reaching for a piece of the mug. "Shit. Sorry, Luke. Jesus. I just, I didn't know you were here, and—"

Luke stepped forward to cut him off. "It's okay, Noah," he said, but Noah interrupted him.

"Don't come any closer!" he said, holding up a hand to ward him off. "There are probably shards of this everywhere, and you're barefoot. Let me get it cleaned up."

Luke paused, unsure how Noah had time to even notice that Luke didn't have on any shoes, but then he nodded and backed away. "I'll put on some slippers."

He was back down the hall and into the slippers he almost never wore but that sat under the edge of the bed on his side anyway, right where the housekeeper always left them. He walked back to the kitchen just in time to hear Noah curse under his breath again, then stand up and step over to the sink, dropping a pile of ceramic pieces on the counter next to it before turning on the water and sticking his hand under it.

Luke frowned and stepped over to Noah's side. "Did you cut yourself?"

Noah shrugged. "It's not bad," he said. "Probably should've used a wet paper towel or something. See, it's almost stopped bleeding already."

Automatically, Luke reached out, taking hold of Noah's hand and turning it so he could see the cut. It took a moment for the warmth of Noah's skin to register with him, and at about the same moment, Noah drew in a long, deep breath. Luke brought his other hand up to brush across Noah's palm, next to the small cut, and Noah's breath came back out in a rush, ruffling Luke's hair.

Luke looked up to find Noah's face inches from his, eyes dark and so blue, and without pausing to think, he lifted onto his toes far enough to press his lips to Noah's.

~~~~  
Part Two  
~~~~

It was just as good as he remembered. Noah fell into the kiss without hesitation, lips and tongue moving along Luke's as if they belonged together. Luke's hand moved from Noah's palm to slide into Noah's hair, and he felt Noah's free arm wrap around his waist, pulling him in closer.

Luke lost all sense of time. It had been so long since he'd kissed like this, not just as a formality, another item on the let's-have-sex checklist. Even that first time with Noah, he'd been focused on the fuck, not the kiss. Now, he explored Noah's mouth, tasting the mint of his toothpaste and the salt of his skin, twining their tongues together in a slow, seductive dance.

He couldn't begin to figure out who was doing the seducing.

Luke felt Noah's other hand land on his back, just below his shoulder, but then Noah pulled out of the kiss and hissed, pulling his hand away. Luke looked down and saw the cut, small but still bleeding, and he took a deep breath and a step back.

"I'll get you something to fix that up," he said, lifting his head far enough to catch Noah's eye.

"Luke, I—" Luke held up a hand to cut him off.

"Let's take care of that cut, and we'll talk," he said. "Okay?"

Noah paused but then nodded once, and Luke turned and walked back toward his bedroom. Noah probably knew where his first aid supplies were just as well as Luke did—maybe better—but Luke also needed to put on some clothes before he lost total control and just shoved Noah up against the wall.

Again.

In his room, Luke stepped into the closet and pulled a pair of jeans and a t-shirt from the stacks folded on shelves at one side. He hurriedly dressed, remembering the broken mug at the last second and stopping to slide on a pair of sneakers. He crossed to his bathroom and retrieved the small first aid kit from under the sink, heading back into the kitchen.

He was not surprised in the least to find Noah on one knee with a wad of dampened paper towels in his uninjured hand, searching out the remaining shards of ceramic on the floor. He lifted his head as Luke came in and then stood up, turning to drop the towels into the trash can at the end of the counter.

He took a deep breath and let it out before turning back to face Luke again. Giving a half smile, he held out his injured hand. "I think it finally stopped bleeding."

Luke rolled his eyes and set the first aid kit on the island. "Good," he said, snapping open the lid of the plastic box. "But we're still going to clean and bandage it. Trust me, I've had a couple of cuts get infected because I didn't pay enough attention. It's not a pretty picture."

The cuts in question had come from bar encounters that hadn't gone nearly as well as the one with Noah, but there was no need to get into that. Besides, Luke hadn't had more than one drink on a night out in years.

Noah stood stock still as Luke dabbed the cut with an alcohol swab and then gave it a healthy swipe of antibiotic ointment. He tore off the wrapping of a small piece of gauze and settled it carefully onto the cut before securing it with medical tape. He knew he was letting his fingers linger too long on Noah's skin, but he didn't much want to stop.

Finally done, Luke clicked the first aid kit shut and gathered up the remains of his attempting at playing nurse. Balling up the papers in his hands, he finally chanced a look up at Noah. As he did, Noah's eyes lifted from his bandaged palm to meet Luke's gaze, his blue eyes gone soft.

"Thanks," he said, a low rumble that, combined with the look in his eyes, set Luke's skin on fire. Luke managed, barely, not to throw himself at Noah bodily, instead stepping back and to the side to toss the trash into the kitchen can. Taking a deep breath, he turned around and smiled.

"Let's have that talk," he said, tilting his head toward the living room. Slowly, Noah nodded in agreement.

~~~~

Luke settled into the cushions at one end of the sofa, and Noah almost followed suit before holding up one hand. "Be right back," he said, and he disappeared into the kitchen. Luke heard the refrigerator door open and close, then Nothing more until Noah came back in, smiling a little sheepishly. He had a big mug in each hand, and Luke grinned and reached for one, lifting it as if toasting as Noah sat down.

"Cheers," Luke said, and Noah echoed him, each taking a long sip. Luke let the warm liquid roll over his tongue and down his throat, not realizing until that moment just how parched he was. He took another drink before setting the mug on the coffee table and leaning back, folding one leg up onto the cushions.

He gave Noah a look and saw he seemed as unsure as Luke did about this. Somehow, that made Luke feel a little better. But only a little.

Luke gathered his thoughts, but before he could speak, Noah did.

"I, um…" He cleared his throat and leaned forward, resting his forearms on his thighs and rubbing his hands together. He didn't look at Luke. "I don't know if it matters, or whether you'll believe me, but in the club that night? It's only about the third time I've done that, and the first time in almost three years."

Luke blinked. He didn't expect to hear that. He shrugged. "I kind of wish I could say the same," he admitted. "That's pretty much all I've done since college. I had one…." He stopped and shook his head. "It ended badly."

Noah shook his head, a rueful smile on his face. "I had one that ended badly too," he said. "Ended with me drummed out of the Army under Don't Ask, Don't Tell and my dad disowning me. Been working three jobs to stay ahead ever since. Finally got to start college a year ago. And then…" He turned his head finally to look at Luke, and he gave a slow, crooked smile. "And then I walked into a bar, and I met you."

Luke swallowed thickly, emotion clogging his throat. "I don't…. I can't begin to imagine what you've been through," he said. "I'm a coward who can't even tell his own father the truth. I've got a whole other family in Illinois I barely know and no real friends who stick around. But I've been given money and power, and I let it go to my head for so long that I'm not all that sure I can get over it."

Noah moved closer, reaching out to lay a hand on Luke's thigh. "You already have," he said in a low voice. "You didn't have to help me out. You didn't have to hire me, or trust me, and you sure didn't have to take care of my hand, or kiss me like that." He shook his hand and Luke's leg with it. "But you did. There's a good heart under those designer duds. It just needs the right opportunities to shine through."

A laugh bubbled out of Luke's throat before he could stop it. Noah grinned at him, and Luke smiled back, shaking his head. "I just met you," he rasped out. "How can you know me better than people who've known me my entire life?"

Noah's smile softened. "Because you let me in."

Luke couldn't speak, so he slid across the sofa and let his body do the talking instead.

~~~~

Luke smiled and nodded at the receptionist as he passed by with his usual Starbucks in one hand and briefcase in the other. He'd woken up to streams of sunlight through his bedroom window and found himself gravitating toward the view, something he'd never paid all that much attention to before. With new eyes, he studied the dichotomy of Central Park's green space against the stark edifices of steel and stone surrounding it. It tugged at something inside him, something he couldn't quite reach yet. But he knew it was there, and he knew he'd find it.

The day and night he'd spent with Noah had been the happiest he could remember. Sure, they'd had sex—several times—but what Luke remembered most was laughing. They'd watched a movie, cooked meals together, showered together, stood at the window together in the wee hours of Sunday morning, naked and wrapped up in a sheet, making up stories about the people they could see walking by on the sidewalks outside.

By the time Noah left, just after he'd treated Luke to homemade pancakes for a late breakfast, Luke had to hold himself back from asking him to stay. Noah had a life separate from Luke's, schoolwork to handle and two more jobs to juggle, and Luke couldn't ask him to give that up on the basis of such a fragile relationship.

In his office at a much more reasonable eight o'clock than the six or seven he'd suffered through the past few weeks, Luke went through the process of checking emails and messages, making a neat list on a legal pad of the things he needed to get done with today. His goal was to leave no later than the ten-hour mark. There's no reason I can't do this job in a reasonable amount of time, he told himself.

Coffee down to the dregs, Luke switched to the fresh bottle of water his assistant brought him as he perused a stack of paperwork. The numbers mostly swam before his eyes, invoices and accounts receivable, so he focused on the bottom line and initialed each set if it seemed a reasonable conclusion.

That worked up to the halfway point of the stack, where the final statement made him blink. He flipped back through the stapled pages again, and there was just no way the number at the bottom of the last page matched up with the figures that came before.

Turning to his computer, Luke pulled up the calculator program and quickly added up the columns. The total that stared back at him from the screen was a good thirty percent below the number on the page. He did the math again, more slowly this time to be sure he had it right, and got the same result.

Bringing up his email, Luke fired off a quick request for the complete documentation for the shipping manifest reflected in the paperwork in front of him. Setting aside the papers until he had something more to check, he went back to his reviews, finding nothing more amiss. He didn't stop thinking about the discrepancies he'd found, but he couldn't do much about it until he had the rest of the information.

~~~~

In the weeks since Damian left, Luke had gotten into the habit of keeping his office door pulled mostly closed during the day. It cut down on the noise from the bustling office outside, and it set up a small barrier to discourage people from stopping by just to chat (or to try to get in good with the temporary boss). It didn't keep everyone out, though. A knock on the doorframe made Luke look up, and he saw half of Noah's face looking back at him.

"Is it safe to come in?"

Luke smiled and leaned back in his chair. "Oh, please do," he said. Noah stepped inside, and Luke's eyes widened when he saw the takeout boxes in his hands. "Holy crap," he said, glancing at his watch to see it was nearly one. "I had no idea it was lunchtime already."

Noah was shaking his head with a teasingly admonishing look on his face. "All work and no lunch makes Luke a hungry boy," he said, setting the stacked boxes on the edge of the desk before picking the top one up and holding it out.

Luke found himself laughing as he took the box, and he lifted the lid to find it contained a thick roast beef and fresh mozzarella sandwich with a side of broccoli salad. He shot Noah a mock glare. "No fries?" he demanded.

"Be good and eat your vegetables," Noah replied in a mild tone, pulling up one of the office chairs close to the desk and reaching for his own lunch. "Then maybe you'll get some dessert."

Luke's mind filled with all the possibilities of what, exactly, "dessert" might entail, but he did his best to slam a lid on that and lock it down tight. He'd made it clear their personal relationship had to stay separate from their business relationship, but he hadn't told Noah exactly how closeted he was at work—a hundred and ten percent, at least. He didn't need to risk blowing the door wide open because he couldn't keep his libido in check.

The sandwich was amazing, and Luke even had to admit the salad was tasty. He swallowed a bite and speared another piece with his fork, smirking at Noah. "I don't know how healthy a vegetable like this could possibly be," he said. "Considering it's coated in dressing and has bacon pieces mixed in with it."

Noah swallowed and smiled. "It's still a green vegetable, no matter how you top it," he said. "Next time we'll work on eating it naked."

His smile slid into a smirk on the last word, and Luke almost choked on his broccoli. Noah was going to keep him on his toes, wasn't he?

They were just finishing up their meals when another knock came at the door. "Come in," Luke said as he looked that way, and a middle-aged man in a blue uniform shirt and jeans leaned in.

"Mr. Grimaldi, I have those records you requested," he said, and Luke nodded, pushing his nearly empty plate aside and standing up. His eyes widened when the man opened the door to reveal a rolling pallet covered with at least a half-dozen document boxes.

"Where do you want these?" the man asked, and Luke blinked.

"Um, over by the wall, I guess?" He waved toward an empty section area near the door, and from the corner of his eye he saw Noah clearing away the remains of their lunch while shooting curious glances toward the boxes and Luke.

Once the boxes were unloaded, Luke thanked the delivery man—Tony, his uniform said—and stood staring at the stack, his hands on his hips.

"So if you don't mind me asking," Noah said, "what the heck is all this?"

Luke shrugged and glanced at Noah. "I don't really know," he said. "I found something off in one of the sets of paperwork I was checking this morning, so I asked for the related records. I expected a few file folders, not…." He waved vaguely at the boxes.

Noah nodded slowly. "Well," he said, drawing out the word, "I'm kind of at loose ends right now. No class tonight, and all caught up on your stuff. So I could start looking through it, if you could tell me what I'm looking for?"

Luke chuffed out a laugh, shaking his head. "I have no idea, that's the thing," he said. He turned back toward his desk. "Let me show you what I found, and maybe between the two of us we can figure it out."

~~~~

The afternoon passed quickly. Luke and Noah went over the puzzling paperwork together, and Noah dug into the records boxes, looking for clues as to what might have happened. He pretty quickly figured out that the shipments involved were pharmaceuticals, and that the project had started almost five years earlier, but nothing he'd found seemed to indicate anything unusual was going on. Of course, he was only into the second box of paperwork.

Luke was just thinking about shutting down and heading home when he heard Noah say his name. He glanced over, and Noah was sitting cross-legged on the floor, where he'd been for most of the past few hours, several stacks of paper sitting neatly around him. His head was bent over a folder full of even more paper, and as Luke stood and walked toward him, he could see Noah frowning. No, more than that: he looked angry.

"Noah?" Luke asked, lowering himself to sit next to him. "Did you find something?"

Noah glanced at him, and Luke almost recoiled at the heat in his eyes. "You could say that," he ground out. "What the hell kind of company are you running here?"

Luke jerked in surprised. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Noah," he said. "If there's something going on I should know about, tell me."

Noah seemed to study him for a moment and then relaxed, but only very slightly. "This project," he said, nodding toward the boxes. "Like I said earlier, it seemed to just be drug shipments, normal stuff. It took a little more digging to find out where they were going: Africa. Still okay. And then I finally found a list of some of the drug names, and it was AIDS drugs." He signed. "Everything's, like, written in code. I think maybe a couple of the things I found weren't supposed to be in here. Or maybe you weren't supposed to be able to get your hands on these and someone screwed up."

He hesitated, and Luke frowned. "But if it's AIDS drugs going to Africa, that's a good thing, right?" he said. "I mean, even if it's not entirely on the up and up, it's helping people."

Noah bit his lip and shook his head. "That's the thing, Luke," he said. He lifted his head to meet Luke's gaze, and his eyes were sad. "If that was it, then no big deal. But they aren't real, Luke. That's what this says." He lifted the papers in his hand. "They're low-grade stuff, and some of it's mixed in with placebos. They're sending drugs that could kill people. That probably are killing people." He took a breath. "And just about every piece of paper in here has been signed off by Damian himself."

Luke sat back, stunned. He knew Damian hadn't lived a totally clean life. He'd been mixed up a lot of stuff over the years that was borderline illegal, at best. But Grimaldi Shipping had always been his legitimate business, anything less than clean kept far out of the way. He'd been up front with Luke about all of that when he'd brought him into the business, and Luke had believed him.

It had all been a lie. And now Luke was mixed up in it, too. And so was Noah.

Luke reached for the paperwork in Noah's hands. "Noah," he said. "I need you to leave." Noah stared at him, but when he opened his mouth to reply, Luke cut him off. "This doesn't concern you, Noah," he said. "You can't be a part of this. I can't drag you into it. Whatever's going on, it's not good. And I won't let you go down with it."  
Noah's face darkened. "I'm already in it, Luke. I've seen the paperwork. Hell, I found the paperwork." His expression softened. "And I won't let you go deal with this alone."

Something surged in Luke's chest at that, a rush of emotion so overwhelming it took his breath away. After everything they'd said, everything they'd done, it wasn't until that moment that Luke recognized what he was feeling.

When, exactly, had he let himself fall in love with Noah Mayer?

With effort, he pushed it back, got himself under control, and managed a smile. "Well, I guess you do deserve the lion's share of the credit once we bring these bastards down," he said. Noah smiled back, and Luke felt it wash over him, calming him.

"Okay," he said, nodding toward the boxes. "Let's start by getting this stuff under lock and key. And then we'll figure out where to go from here."

~~~~

Paperwork secured in the closet in Luke's office, and the office itself locked for good measure, Luke and Noah headed for Luke's apartment. Luke tried to stop for takeout on the way home, but Noah just pulled him away and smiled enigmatically.

When Luke unlocked his door and stepped inside, he understood. The smell of something cooking set his mouth watering, and he reached behind him to pinch Noah's arm.

"Ow!" Noah rubbed at the spot, grinning. "What was that for?"

"You've been cooking again," Luke said, closing and locking the door behind them and tossing his keys onto the nearby table. "I told you that's not part of the job."

Noah reached for him, hands wrapping lightly around Luke's upper arms, head dipping to catch Luke's eye. "I'm not doing it as part of the job," he said softly, and Luke couldn't help himself. He closed the distance between them, arms coming up to wrap around Noah's waist, his head finding its place on Noah's chest. He felt a soft rumble in Noah's chest as he chuckled, and Noah's arms slid around his back, holding him.

"You've had a rough few weeks," Noah said into his hair. "And you haven't had much of a support system. I figure the least I can do is make sure you eat well."

Luke tilted his head back, meeting Noah's gaze before letting his eyes flick down to look at his mouth. "You've done a lot more than that," he murmured before leaning up for a kiss. He lingered for just a moment before his stomach reminded him that lunch had been almost six hours ago. He smiled against Noah's mouth. "Feed me, Seymour."

Noah laughed as he drew away. "C'mon," he said, grabbing Luke's hand. "It should be soup by now."

~~~~

The beef stew was perfect, even though Noah insisted it was just the basics: meat, potatoes, and carrots flavored with broth and onion soup mix. Noah had bought a loaf of French bread and made fruit salad for dessert, and by the time they finished eating, Luke felt as overstuffed as a Thanksgiving turkey.

"Ugh," he said, leaning back against the sofa cushions and rubbing one hand over his stomach. "Are you sure you're trying to make sure I eat well and not just fatten me up? 'Cause at this rate, I'm going to blow up like a balloon in no time."

Noah snorted. "Trust me, you have nothing at all to worry about." The tone of his voice made very clear exactly what he thought about the current state of Luke's body, which immediate took notice. Luke turned his head toward Noah, who was sitting forward on the cushions, stacking up their dinner plates. Luke leaned over to lay his hand over Noah's, which stilled under his touch.

"The dishes can wait," Luke murmured. "I'm ready for dessert now."

A shudder ran through Noah. "I thought we were going to talk about—"

"The records can wait, too," Luke said, sliding across the cushions, letting his hand run up Noah's arm and over his shoulder, coming to rest on the back of his neck. "We can't really do anything about that until morning anyway."

They were so close Luke could smell the sweet tang of the pineapple from the fruit salad on Noah's breath, but he didn't close the inch between their mouths. Not yet. He let the heat between them fill his body, feeling his skin flush, his cock harden. Noah's hand touched his thigh, moved slowly up toward his hip, and Luke broke, pushing forward to bring their lips together.

In seconds, their hands were tangled in each other's hair, and Luke was halfway onto Noah's lap. He couldn't get close enough. His heart pounded, his body on fire, and all he could think was that he wanted Noah everywhere, covering him, surrounding him. Inside him.

He tensed at the thought. He hadn't bottomed in years, not since the night he broke up with his first boyfriend. His only boyfriend, really. Chad had been his first, but their relationship had never been smooth or easy. That last night, Luke had been sore from one round of manic sex, but Chad had pushed to fuck him again until Luke gave in. Chad took him fast and hard, without nearly enough prep time or concern for his tenderness, and Luke ended up fighting him off and throwing him out.

He'd never again seriously considered letting anyone inside him again. But Noah, despite the passion and eagerness he'd shown in their few encounters, could be so gentle and considerate that Luke thought maybe, just maybe, he could give it another try. He'd loved it when it had been good. Maybe it could be again?

He realized Noah had gentled their kiss, and his hands were running lightly up and down Luke's back. Noah drew away and lowered his head far enough to catch Luke's eye. "You okay?" he asked softly. "You seemed to disappear there for a minute."

That was enough to make up Luke's mind. He kissed Noah again, quickly. "I want to ask you for something," he murmured against his lips. "And I need you to not ask any questions, okay? I promise I'll explain later."

Noah nodded, a line appearing between his eyebrows as his brow furrowed. Luke lifted one hand to rub his thumb over the spot, smoothing it away. "I want you…." He paused to swallow. "I want you inside me. But I need you to be gentle about it."

Later, Luke remembered the look in Noah's eyes at his words, because he saw it again as Noah pushed inside. He'd spent what felt like hours getting Luke ready, driving him crazy with need, opening him up gently. Luke sighed as Noah slid in deep. With Noah's long cock inside him, his long arms around him, his long legs tangled with Luke's, Luke finally felt like he'd gotten as close to him as he could. It wasn't enough—it would never be enough—but it was the best they could do.

Noah moved slowly, languidly, as if they had all the time in the world, and as far as Luke was concerned, they did. Nothing existed beyond the bed, not the streets or the buildings or even the trees in the park. For the first time, Luke understood the meaning of two becoming one, and when his climax finally rolled through him, pulling Noah's along with it, it was almost an afterthought. Noah was a part of him now, and in that moment, nothing else mattered.

~~~~  
Part Three  
~~~~

Luke couldn't believe how quickly things happened after that. The next morning, he and Noah sat together inside Luke's locked office while Luke called the New York bureau of the Drug Enforcement Administration. An agent was there within the hour to hear their story, and by the end of the day, Luke's and Damian's offices were sealed up tight, with a stream of men wearing DEA jackets wheeling out boxes, computer equipment, and almost anything else that wasn't nailed down.

Luke had gone through a few terrifying moments when two of the agents had escorted him into a conference room and grilled him for nearly an hour about what he knew and when he knew it. He wasn't afraid so much for himself as he was for Noah, whom he realized would've been undergoing a similar interrogation. The agents seemed to be satisfied with their answers, though, letting them leave but instructing them to stay in touch and available for more questions as needed.

Back at Luke's apartment, this time having stopped for takeout on the way home, Luke and Noah sat close but not touching on the sofa, picking at their dinners. Luke's brain seemed to be operating on autopilot, and he didn't really taste the sesame chicken as he chewed and swallowed. He managed less than half before he tossed down his fork and flopped back into the sofa.

"They said Damian will be back in New York tomorrow."

Noah's words were unexpected, and Luke stared at him. "How…. I thought he was in Malta!"

Noah shrugged, gazed still focused on the beef and broccoli he wasn't eating. "Apparently he's been going back and forth," he said. "I overheard one of the agents talking right after they finished questioning me. His passport was recorded in Chicago late last night."

Luke jumped to his feet. "Mom," he said, looking around for his phone. He had to have left it somewhere. "I need to call my mom."

Noah's eyes were wide, and Luke knew he was shocked. Luke hadn't said a word about his mother, or the rest of his family. All he knew was Damian. By then Luke had found his phone, still in the pocket of the suit jacket he'd discarded as they came in, and he picked his mother's number out of his contact list and waited.

"Voicemail," he murmured. He tried again, this time trying Lucinda. If he didn't get her, he'd have to try the farm—

"Luciano?" Lucinda voice was somewhere between surprise and alarm. "To what do I owe this rare pleasure?"

"Grandmother," Luke said in a rush. "Do you know where Mom is? I tried to call her, it's kind of a long story, but—"

"Calm yourself, dear boy," Lucinda interrupted. "Your mother is right across the table from me, safe and sound. She's just finished informing me that Jack Snyder received word that Damian had been picked up by federal agents in Chicago. Is that your concern?"

Luke's knees gave out, and he sat down hard. He should've known that Jack would be on the case, after the last run-in between Damian and Holden. "Yes, that's it," he said. "So everything's okay? Everyone's okay?"

"We're all fine, dear," Lucinda said. There was a noise at the other end, and then Lucinda's voice again. "Your mother would like to speak to you."

Luke tried to breathe deeply and slow his heart rate. He could feel Noah watching him closely, but he couldn't focus on that yet.

"Luke?" Lily's usually smooth, cultured voice sounded much rougher than usual. "I'm so glad you called. Is everything okay? What's going on? All I know is what happened to Damian."  
Luke sighed and rubbed the fingers of his free hand over his eyes. "It's a long story, Mom," he said. "Suffice it to say Damian's apparently been telling lies again. Pretty big ones. Federal charges-sized ones."

"Oh, honey." The sympathy and pain in Lily's voice made Luke's breath catch in his throat. "I'm so sorry."

She understood, Luke knew. The two of them had been the only ones who'd wanted to believe in Damian's innocence over the years, even when he'd done unsavory things. Their biggest fight had been over where Luke would live, and it took Damian rescuing Luke from a potential kidnapping in childhood that finally convinced Lily he could be trusted to take care of their son. He hadn't done anything to disprove that over the years; not until now. This went far beyond the occasional business scheme and his several unsuccessful attempts to win back Lily's affections.

"I'll be okay," Luke said. He hesitated, then decided in for a penny, in for a pound. "I'm kind of… seeing someone." He glanced at Noah and smiled softly at the blush high on his cheekbones. "It helps to have some extra support."

Lily's voice sounded much brighter. "That's wonderful, dear," she said. "You'll have to bring her home so we can all meet her!"

Luke tried to correct her, but he couldn't quite bring himself to do it. He couldn't tell her that over the phone. "Maybe," he said instead. "We'll see what happens with all of this."

He sighed again. "I need to go, Mom," he said. "I'll call again soon, okay?"

"Okay, take care, honey," Lily replied. "I love you."

Luke swallowed. "Me too," he said before ending the call.

When he stood up, Noah was already there, waiting with his arms relaxed but open. Luke slid his phone into his pocket and stepped into Noah's embrace, the one place where he always felt at home.

~~~~

"I'm telling you, I do not know what you are talking about."

Damian's voice, firm and clear but not loud, nevertheless carried through the door and into the hall outside, where Luke sat waiting, alone. Noah had wanted to come in with him, but Luke asked him to stay in the outer lobby. This was one confrontation he needed to handle on his own.

He'd lain awake for half the night, curled up against Noah's warm, sleeping body, and thought. He'd considered his life, from the bits of childhood in Oakdale he remembered, through his years in New York, raised by Damian and a string of nannies, going to years of private school and college, all picked by his father. His place at the head of Grimaldi Shipping had been determined without his input or desire, and he'd always just assumed that's the way things were. That he didn't have a choice.

And then Noah came along, and everything changed.

One of the agents in the room with Damian opened the door and leaned out, pulling Luke from his thoughts. "We can give you a few minutes now," he said, and Luke nodded, rubbing his palms on his thighs as he rose to his feet.

Damian watched him as he walked into the room and to the far side of the table where his father sat. He considered the chair but decided he didn't need it. He leaned one hip against the edge of the table and crossed his arms over his chest.

"This is it, Damian," he said, proud of himself at how level he kept his voice. "My family trusted you for a long time, and it turns out you've been playing us. Playing me. And I'm not going to let you do it anymore."  
Damian face was a mask of false innocence. "I don't know what you mean, son—"

"Don't call me that!" Luke's temper got the best of him, and he stood up, leaning forward with both hands on the surface of the table. "You had your chance to be my father. To be honest with me and raise me right. And you blew it. You lied to me, and you forced me to lie about myself. I'm done with it. And I'm done with you."

Damian frowned. "I truly do not understand what you—"

"I'm gay, Damian!" He slapped one hand on the table. "I'm gay, and I've been hiding it from everyone because of you. Because of the way you treat people like me. I knew you'd never accept it, so I hid it. But I'm not going to do it anymore."

Damian was almost smiling, which just make Luke angrier. "You don't know what you're saying, Luciano—"

"And stop calling me that, too," Luke said, standing up straighter. "My name is Luke, not Luciano. And as soon as I can manage it, I'm going to get rid of the Grimaldi, too." He took a step back. "You can just do whatever you want, Damian," he said. "Because as far as I'm concerned, you're no longer my father."

He tuned out whatever Damian called after him as he walked out. He didn't slow down until he got to the lobby, where Noah immediately stood up as he saw him coming. Luke just reached for his hand, pulling Noah along with him.

"Come on," he said. "We're going home."

~~~~

It was clear Noah hadn't realized what Luke meant when he'd said they were going home. Luke walked into his apartment and headed straight for his bedroom, pulling out a suitcase and tossing in clothes seemingly at random. Noah watched him for a few minutes before he walked over to still Luke's hands with his own.

"Luke," he said gently. "Where are you going?"

Luke stood with his head down, staring at but not really seeing the pile of clothes in front of him. "Home," he said softly. "I want to go home."

Noah was quiet for a minute. "Oakdale," he finally said. "Luke, you know I'd love nothing more than to go with you. But I have two more weeks of classes."

Luke looked up at him, surprised at first, but then realizing it was the truth. He'd almost forgotten Noah was in school, even though half his evenings were taken up with either classes or schoolwork. Luke looked away and nodded.

"You're right," he said. "I can't expect you to drop everything so close to the end of the term." He blew out a breath. "It's probably best I go by myself anyway. I have a lot to tell Mom." He let out a sound almost but not entirely quite like a laugh. "Starting with the fact that someone I'm seeing isn't a woman."

Noah chuckled and wrapped his arms around Luke, not letting the odd side angle stop him from kissing Luke's temple. Luke leaned into the touch. "I'm glad it's not a woman," Noah murmured. "And I'm glad it's not some other man, either."

Luke turned toward Noah so he could reciprocate the hug, and they stood there together for long minutes. Luke let the stress and anger from his confrontation with Damian drain away before finally taking a step back.

"Okay," he said. "Since only one of us needs to pack, do you think you could lend me a hand? You are still my personal assistant, after all," he teased, making Noah smile.

"Sure," Noah replied. "I'd even be willing to help pack your underwear."

Luke laughed.

~~~~

The water spread out in front of Luke, glassy and shining in the spring sunshine. The day was as gorgeous as he ever could have asked for, high blue sky with only a few puffy clouds, and a light breeze keeping the sun's warmth from becoming too much.

Oakdale was just as he'd expected and entirely different at the same time. Luke's decision to come here had been spur of the moment, but once he arrived, he felt a knot he didn't know existed loosen somewhere deep inside. He'd left Noah in charge of his personal affairs, as usual, and appointed a top vice-president he trusted and who'd been cleared in the DEA's initial investigation to take over business operations.

He found he didn't really care all that much about any of it, except for Noah himself.

He'd been in Oakdale less than twenty-four hours. Flight, car ride, and hotel check-in had gotten him settled in time for dinner the night before, and he'd been shocked when his mother had shown up at his door just as he was considering whether to go out or order room service. Lily's hug had been tight and welcoming, and Luke had returned it automatically, but it only took a few moments for the true warmth to hit him, and he'd relaxed into the embrace.

When Lily stepped back, her eyes had been full of tears, and she'd answered Luke's questions by telling him she owned the hotel now, and she'd seen his name on the guest manifest. She apologized for not calling first but invited him to have dinner with her in the hotel restaurant. He'd accepted and spent the evening starting to get to know his mother better, although he still held back from coming out to her.

As they said good night, Lily had suggested he visit the farm today. Emma had been just as warm and welcoming, thrilled to see him and plying him with fresh-baked cinnamon rolls, and Holden had given him a handshake that made it clear he was holding back from a full-body hug, as if unsure if Luke would accept it. Luke wasn't sure either, but he knew he'd get another chance if he decided he would.

Luke had been left to wander the grounds as long as he wanted, and memories flooded back as he walked: the barn where Holden had introduced him to the horses, the trails where he'd taken his first horseback rides, the pond where he'd cooled off on hot summer days. He'd spent so many years away, with just brief visits now and then, that he'd forgotten how much he'd liked it here. Oakdale seemed to be woven into his DNA, and it wasn't until now, surrounded by the land that seemed to be at the heart of it, that he felt complete.

Well, almost complete.

Only a day apart, and already Luke missed Noah. He didn't miss New York, although he knew he would over time. But he kept wanting to turn to Noah to point things out or tell him stories he remembered, except that he wasn't there.

Footsteps behind him drew his attention, and he turned his head to see Holden walking toward him. "Hey," he said, sliding his hands into the pockets of his jeans, feeling a little nervous but not sure why.

"Hey," Holden replied, stopping next to him and looking out across the pond. "Beautiful day out. Supposed to rain over the weekend, though."

Luke nodded, gaze running over the lake. He watched as a bird dove down, dipping into the water just enough to send ripples out across the surface before flying away again. He almost felt the small waves, churning up the agitation inside him.

"So who's Noah?"

Luke's head snapped around. "Who's…. What?"

Holden didn't look at him. He was pulling apart a piece of grass. "Got a phone call a while ago," he said. "Said he was a friend of yours and just wanted to be sure you got out here okay."

Luke felt guilty, not realizing until then that he hadn't thought to call or text Noah to let him know he'd arrived, and he'd deliberately left his phone back at the hotel. "You told him?"

Holden nodded, shooting Luke a quick glance. "He seemed pretty worried, and pretty relieved when I said you were here."

Luke's shoulders tightened. He knew he needed to say it. He needed to tell someone, and maybe Holden was a good place to start. Ease into it before he told his mother.

"He's… not just a friend," Luke pushed out. "I haven't told anyone here. No one knows. But I'm…" He shook his head, frustrated with himself. "I'm gay. And Noah's my… my boyfriend."

He hadn't actually called Noah that before, even though he knew it was true. He hadn't had a boyfriend since Chad, and the word felt foreign in his mouth—but it felt right in his heart.

Holden just nodded in response, looking out over the water again. "Must be a pretty good guy," he said, his tone mild.

Braced for shock, denial, Luke felt off-balance at Holden's measured response. "He is," he said, standing up a little straighter. "He's been great through all of this. I think…." He paused. He didn't really want to tell a virtual stranger before he said it to Noah. "I care about him a lot."

Holden nodded again. "You're worried about telling your mom."

Luke shrugged. "Yeah," he said. He shot Holden a quick glance. "I haven't exactly spent a lot of time with her. I don't know how she might react. And with Damian out of my life…."

Holden looked at him, suddenly and piercingly. "Don't go thinking she's all you have left," he said firmly. "You have a family here, no matter what. Oakdale doesn't let its children go easily."

Luke bit his lip to hold back his emotions. He could only nod. He had no idea how he could ever repay Holden for these few minutes, but for the first time in his life, he thought he might know how it felt to have a real father.

~~~~

Emma insisted that Luke have dinner at the farm, and told Holden to bring Lily and the kids. Holden checked with Luke in a single look, and Luke nodded, his heart warming at the gesture even while his insides twisted with nerves. He'd loved being around the kids in the past, and Ethan had wanted him home for his birthday, but he hadn't seen them in a few years, and things could change quickly.

He needn't have worried. Ethan greeted him enthusiastically, chattering a mile a minute about the comic book he was reading and the trip to Disney the family had planned for the summer. At fourteen, Natalie was more blasé about things, but she couldn't quite hide her happiness at having Luke around. Faith was missing, but Lily explained that she was working part-time at Java, a coffee shop in town, and couldn't get away that evening.

They were halfway through the pot roast dinner before Lily raised the question Luke dreaded. "So, Luke honey, is your girlfriend going to come visit, too?"

Luke looked at Holden, who held his gaze but didn't seem to be directing him one way or the other on how he should answer. Luke decided it wasn't the best time to drop his bombshell. "It's kind of a long story, Mom," he finally said, cutting off another piece of meat. "We'll talk after dinner. Okay?"

Lily seemed poised to press the issue, but Holden laid his hand on her arm, and they shared a long look. She subsided finally, and Emma quickly filled in the silence, asking Luke about his apartment in New York.

Dinner over, Luke found himself helping clean up without even thinking about it. Emma smiled at him indulgently and took the stack of plates out of his hands.

"Don't worry about this tonight, dear," she said. "Go visit with your family. I know they've missed seeing you."

He couldn't possibly argue with that, so he just smiled and kissed her on the cheek before turning toward the living room. Just as he stepped that way, though, Lily came around the corner, and he stopped for a moment before gathering his courage and tilting his head toward the back porch. "Can I talk to you alone?"

Lily smiled at him, puzzled but agreeable. "Sure, honey," she said.

Luke held the door for her as they stepped outside into the cool evening air. He made sure the door closed behind them before he turned to face her. He opened and closed his mouth a few times but couldn't get started.

He shoved his hands into his pockets again. "God, this is hard," he muttered.

Lily took a step closer, looking worried. "Honey, whatever it is, I'm sure it'll be okay," she said. "You know we love you, right?"

Luke looked into her eyes and saw the truth in her statement. It didn't matter that he hadn't grown up here with the family. He was part of it, and no matter how his mom reacted now, he still would be.

"Mom," he said, reaching out to take her hand. "Mom, I'm gay."

Lily blinked once, then again. "What?" she finally said.

"I'm gay." It was easier to say now. "I'm sorry I haven't told you sooner, but I'm just now figuring out how to be open about it. I'm gay, and I don't have a girlfriend. I have a boyfriend. His name is Noah, and I… I really care about him a lot. And I know this is a lot to take in, and—"

Lily pulled her hand away and took a step back, lifting her hand to cover her mouth. "Oh honey," she said. "Are you… are you sure? How do you… have you…."

Luke almost laughed. "I'm very sure," he said. "I've known since I was fourteen, but no one else really did except some guys I've… been with. Damian didn't know until yesterday."

Lily seemed frozen in place, staring at him, and Luke started to feel uncomfortable. "I know it's a surprise," he said. "I don't expect you to just go on like nothing's changed. But I hope you can…. I want to…. Dammit!"

He spat the last word out in frustration as the emotions he'd been trying to hold back spilled out in the tears he couldn't stop. He turned away and dragged the back of his hand across his eyes, trying to wipe them away, but after a moment he felt a hand on his arm and looked down to see Lily looking up at him, her eyes wet, too.

"I'm surprised," she said. "I don't really know what to say, Luke. But you have to know that no matter what, you will always, always be my son."

At that point, Luke gave up trying to hold back the tears, and he let his mother gather him into his arms like a child.

~~~~

Luke lay on his back, staring at the ceiling of his room at the Lakeview. Lily had wanted him to move into the house and stay with them, but he needed a little decompression time, so he told her they'd talk about it the next day. Now he couldn't sleep, his third near-sleepless night in a row, and something was going to have to give before long.

He was surprised to hear a knock at his door. He flipped on the bedside lamp as he climbed out of bed, running a hand through his hair to tame it a little as he walked to the door. He looked through the peephole, blinked in surprise, and unlocked and opened the door to find that, yes, that really was Noah standing in the hallway. He had a backpack over one shoulder and a duffel bag in his other hand, and he was smiling a hesitant, lop-sided smile.

"Um, surprise?" he said.

Luke laughed, feeling the knot in his stomach loosen for the first time in days, and he grabbed for Noah's arm, pulling him inside and re-locking the door. He turned back to see Noah setting down his bags and looking around.

"Wow," Noah said. "This room is really, really ni—"

Luke cut him off with his mouth. He kissed Noah hungrily, tugging at his clothes, digging for bare skin. It took Noah a moment to reciprocate, but when he did, it was with enthusiasm. Within minutes, they were naked and falling onto the bed together, touching everywhere they could reach, kissing as if they'd never get enough.

Their lovemaking was urgent and needy, with Luke taking charge, barely slowing down until he was buried deep inside Noah. He moved more gently then, sliding out before pushing in slowly, nipping at Noah's lips, sucking on his tongue. Noah's moans drove Luke crazy, and his thrusts grew harder, faster, until he was fucking Noah with abandon, watching his head twist back and forth against the pillows, lost and beautiful in his desire. They came seconds apart and fell together onto the mattress, wet, sweaty, and sticky. Luke had never felt better in his entire life.

Once they'd caught their breath and Luke had taken care of the condom, they lay facing each other and Luke pushed the dark, damp hair back from Noah's face. He smiled. "This is one of the best surprises ever," he said. "But what are you doing here?"

Noah shrugged and gave a sheepish smile. "I was done with classes until Monday," he said. "And I… I wanted to check out Oakdale."

He blushed, and Luke knew that wasn't what he'd been going to say. He leaned forward to kiss the tip of his Noah's nose. "I missed you too," he admitted, and Noah bit his lip and smiled.

They kissed again, relaxed and sated, until finally Luke pulled back and propped himself up on one elbow. He reached out to touch Noah's hair, twirling a piece around his first finger. "So I've been thinking," he said. "It turns out Oakdale's kind of a nice place."

Noah's gaze never left his, even as his hands wandered over his shoulders and chest. "You want to stay a while," he said. It wasn't a question.

Luke nodded once. "I do," he said. "It feels… it's like part of me lives here, and when I'm not here, it feels like that part's missing. You know? And I know it's not that simple, I know there are things I have to take care of. But I think I need this. Need to kind of… start over. But I don't want to leave—"

Noah cut him off with two fingers on his lips and a small smile. "I hope you won't think this is too forward of me," he said. "But I checked into it yesterday, and it turns out there's a pretty good film school at Oakdale University. And I talked to admissions, and they don't think I'd have any trouble transferring."

Luke stared at him in shock. "You'd give up everything in New York?"

Noah nodded. "If you think Oakdale would have me."

Luke knew it wasn't really Oakdale he was asking about. He surged forward and kissed Noah hard, putting everything in his heart into that one kiss. When they finally pulled apart, they were both breathing like they'd been running for miles, and their hard cocks were rubbing together between.

"Oakdale would like nothing better," Luke managed to say. "Turns out there's someone here who thinks he might just be in love with you."

Noah seemed to stop breathing for a few long moments before a wide smile broke out on his face. "Oh thank God," he said. "Because someone thinks he might just be in love with you too."


End file.
